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ELGIN, IL - In a near mirror image of the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, the Chicago Bandits and Washington Glory were once again tied at 1-all entering the bottom of the seventh inning.

This time, it did not require small ball. There was no suicide squeeze barely beating out a tag at home plate.

It was a huge center field smash, a two run walk off home run by Rachel Folden, giving the Bandits (13-10) a 3-1 win over Washington (17-10) in game two of a doubleheader before 680 fans at the Judson Sports Complex in National Pro Fastpitch action.

"I thought I had been timing my pitches well, I was just a little above or under them," Folden said. "When I hit [the game winning home run] I thought 'that went a little farther than expected.' "

Taryne Mowatt (0-3) suffered the loss for Washington, pitching a complete game, allowing five hits, six walks while striking out seven.

Courtney Bures gave Washington a 1-0 lead with a solo smash that cleared the bleachers in right center field in the second inning. It was Bures's NPF leading eighth home run of the season.

Jamie Clark tied the game at 1-all in the third inning with a solo homer to left center field.

The Bandits loaded the bases in the first inning with Stacy May walking, Kristie Fox singling through the left side and Jamie Clark also reaching on four balls. Chicago had one out, but Nicole Trimboli fouled out to Oli Keohohou at first base and Samantha Findlay struck out.

Chicago had another chance in the second inning with two outs and Mindy Cowles on third and May on second. With Fox in the batter's box, she hit a hard smash to Washington's second baseman Courtney Bures, who bobbled the ball but was just able to get it under control and throw to first, getting Fox out to end the inning.

Starter Tracie Adix was relieved in the fourth inning by Amanda Freed after giving up two singles to start the inning. Freed came in to strike out Sarah Larquier and Catalina Morris and got Jessica Moore to pop out. Adix pitched three innings, allowing three hits, one run with one walk and one strike out.

Freed pitched 1.2 innings without giving up a hit, but she walked one and hit three batters. The Glory loaded the bases in the fifth inning, with two hit by pitches and one walk, and Jessica Sallinger (6-3) came in for Freed, trying to get out of the jam. Sallinger did just that, getting Bures to pop out to Aileen Morales on her first pitch.

"It is a nice way to get back on a team that we felt we played very well against in the last series," Folden said. "We wanted to play three solid ball games and make it four tomorrow."

Notes: In the fourth inning, Laura Harms hit a deep ball to center field, only to have LaDonia Hughes stretch out above the wall and steal a would-be-home run…the series concludes Sunday with game four at 3:05 p.m.

About Us

National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) is a growing professional sports platform for women in sport, specifically the sport of fastpitch softball. NPF currently exists as a rarity among professional team sports options for women. The league provides a place for fastpitch softball’s elite level players, to compete against each other. The NPF works to grow the game daily through individual team ownership, increased engagement with corporate America partners and expanded television coverage. The five current affiliate NPF teams are located in Akron, OH; Chicago, IL; Kansas City, MO; Vero Beach, FL and Viera, FL.